Thanks to this second edition, this book has two main themes: living in a life post-COVID and dreading the consequences post-VAT. The aftermath of lockdown and the potential fee-riser that the Labour government may bring in.
The world changed when the Elementary Education Act in 1870 was established. Education was a way to stop child labour. We've come a long way. The Independent sector isn't just about educating the elite anymore: it's more accessible than ever before. However, 7% pupils attended independent schools in 1960 and 7% still attend in 2020. The reason for this stagnation? Year on year fee increases, but also that the wealthier middle classes tend to chose a new house or a new car over fees. Do people value materialistic items over education?
To start, some facts. Internationally, schools are expanding. 2,584 international schools in 2000 compared to 12,459 in 2021. The middle classes are rising. A report by UNESCO estimates we need 24.4m primary teachers and 44.4m secondary teachers to meet demand by 2030...there are also 263m children not in education. Shockingly, I read that 1 in 4 African children are in fee paying schools - they are low-cost fee paying schools and it shows that parents in poverty will pay for teachers that turn up to provide more for their children. Low-cost fee paying schools seem popular internationally; could this be another strand to UK education? A chance for schools to bridge the gap? Can technology allow these millions of uneducated children to be educated? EdTech seem to be on it.
The moment I told my Grandad that I'd be working at a local private school, he was so excited because he always said the cricket grounds were impeccable. He was proud that his Granddaughter was going to be working in one of the most exclusive schools in the area and it made me feel good that I'd made him proud. And that sums up my family: sports at our core and enthusiasm to support one another.
For some background, my move from training at an ex-grammar school (that three generations of my family were educated in) was big. State school leaders told me "they'd make me work hard" and, when I got there, some independent teachers view state school teachers as "martyrs". It's hard to work together when this is the opinion of each other. State school teachers are seen to give everything and get paid nothing, yet you see 6 figure salaries for teaching and learning posts in many academies over the country. I don't want to work with teachers who arrive at 8:30am and leave at 3:30pm and follow the same scheme of work for 5 years. Teachers work hard at the schools I've worked in because they want to. It's so rewarding. I want to push boundaries and adapt my teaching every single year. The world evolves and teaching needs to as well. I found this enthusiasm and excitement in the independent sector and I'm hooked. I'm now deeply involved in these schools.
I waitressed in Magdalen College and my fascination with education began in Oxford. I have crashed Oxford University balls with friends and seen the gin and tonic tables, the ice sculptures, the fire breathing performers, and partied all night with the wealthiest bachelors. It's exclusive but absolutely mesmerising and magical. The architecture of the buildings is empowering. That ability to secretly see inside how good education could be was fascinating and inspiring. I would love my girls to appreciate how empowering it can be, not be entitled by it.
Back to reality, this book has made it clear that with the tax coming in with the new labour government, the top 7% of people who send their children to the independent sector may struggle. It's predicted that 105,000 pupils will leave the sector and go state. The cost will be £415m. It staggering how this tax change will alter the future of a lot of children and a lot of other schools who will have the burden of taking on more. Schools are already stretched. How will the state schools handle this?
The book suggests cheaper 'middle' schools where the annual price is much cheaper and aligned with the £6.9k it currently costs the government to send one person through state school a year. Average independent day school costs are £13.7k. There are 25k state schools and 1.4k independent schools. But things are changing. There has been a £195m rise in bursaries since 2011. The book highlights ways that independent schools can be more accessible, rather than continuing on with an elitist view. Ideas are: online subsidiaries, stripped-down sister schools, lower cost models in the North, specialist sixth forms, and cluster schools.
The Innovation Challenge section requires a mind that can think ahead: to push boundaries and excel in classroom teaching. One line I'll take with me is "bring the work of the classroom to the real world". For me, and teaching English, I have always thought that creative writing is the highest skill. Their ability to then analyse writing is due to the fact that they know how they would write themselves. Writing poetry and changing forms from non-fiction into fiction is on the Eton Scholarship papers. In English, the most exciting part is when it becomes cross-curricular. Teaching about Tudor history and learning Tudor writing in English at the same time in the academic year - basically aligning each department with their subject areas to enhance contextual knowledge. Getting History teachers helping English. Combining Art and English: using Ekphrasis is one of my favourite ways or even thinking how we can educate them about sculptures, history, and literature together.. There are so many ways of combining subjects and helping the students match real life scenarios to the writing output. They then learn about context, about the backbone of writing and where it comes from. The mind and the inspiration. Sorry - back to the book review.
The book is about widening the reach and making the future brighter than the media's dim projection. It looks at the ISC Census and how 65% of pupils are from a white British background. There is currently less than 1% of BAME head teachers. The book is open and honest about the current status of the sector and it's refreshing. One article mentions this diversity mainly comes from Russia and Chinese oligarchs. This will change but good things take time.
The top 5% of earners will have to spend a fifth of their income to educate one child privately. The fees are a constant discussion. Post-lockdown means that 50 schools have closed (not near the 300 that was predicted). The book suggests that taking on looked-after children could be a way to rescue society.
What's really interesting are the international ideas. Eton launched Eton X before Covid, then Harrow, then others have followed. If a brand is secure enough, it will fly on an international, online space. But will this mean that the 'sheen' of UK boarding schools will start to fade? It's intriguing that these schools will constantly be evolving. I've noticed that the amount of Year 8s heading to a boarding school to be a day pupil is increasing. Have parents realised that its lovely to have the kids at home since Covid? Do pupils find it hard to board since Covid? Or are people feeling the pinch and preferring the cheaper day rate? Who knows but I've definitely noticed a change.
The biggest feeling one gets after reading this book is what happens now. From a student at Wellington College who gained a bursary, she mentioned in the book that the overriding feeling she gained from her education was confidence. Having to 'back herself' and over my conversations with many staff members at private schools, the biggest achievement a pupil can gain from these schools is their own self-belief. The book also mentioned how independent schools have the time on the timetable to slot in wellbeing lessons and education on self-belief. So - in reflection of this, should all schools be focusing on confidence? Hopefully a move away from less-pressurised GCSEs and exam based subjects will allow for the true self to become more prominent. The removal of Common Entrance exams in a lot of schools has shown how schools are beginning to see how a skills based curriculum is more important.
The book has highlighted a lot of challenges, gaps, but also successes. The state of independence remains a progressive place to be, with opportunities created for few, and hopefully, a lot more in the future. The ending feeling is optimism. That teachers have to be open to sharing practice, to cultivating growth between schools, and helping to create well rounded pupils that are inspired to pop their bubbles and live outside their comfort zones: after all, it is all about them, they are the future.
The final essay in the book touches on an important matter: the matter of educating the elite. Whether society can exist without an educated elite. But, most importantly, knowledge requires brains that want to know things. Not all pupils at state or independent sectors will learn. It is the choice of the individual whether they are interested in absorbing knowledge. the end of the book suggests that the natural order of independent schools exist because society needs order to succeed or thrive. We would all struggle to exist in a world where totalitarian regimes ruled a dictating society. Pupils have a choice of whether they want to learn or not and parents choose the avenue in which they think the pupil will learn.
Learning ancient history and old languages is important when our world and our own language changes so much. Latin is not an elitist luxury. It was an option at my old school and only given to the pupils who wanted to learn it at lunchtime. I chose to play sport or dance with friends. Some pupils choose Latin. Our knowledge is based on our own choices and as long as choices are there, then this gap doesn't really exist: we are all learning the same knowledge, just in different areas.
I'll finish with one of my favourite phrases from the book: "Education needs to innovate. But not with more iPads. It needs to innovate in regard to how it assesses and trains the ability of children to steer". We all need to be on the same boat, and we need all hands on deck to steer us to where we need to be.
Destination unknown: it's all about enjoying the journey straight ahead.
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